Portable device for unloading lower back while sitting

ABSTRACT

A portable harness that wraps around the rib cage and thoracic spine is disclosed. Unlike other harnesses, the present invention has an extension allowing it to be suspended above the user&#39;s ribcage to apply an upward pull. This suspension strap provides a distracting/unloading force on the lower back by holding the upper torso in place while the weight of a patient&#39;s lower body creates traction on the lumbar spine. The harness can be used with any chair back, including office chairs, or vehicle seats. This allows people with lower back pain to sit more comfortably while sitting in a regular chair, driving a car, or flying in a plane. This will decrease low back pain since sitting for long periods will no longer compress the lumbar spine, it will actually be therapeutic by allowing a person to sit in an unloaded position.

This application claims priority of U.S. Provisional Patent ApplicationSer. No. 61/298,019, filed Jan. 25, 2010 and U.S. Provisional PatentApplication Ser. No. 61/374,908, filed Aug. 18, 2010, the disclosures ofwhich are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Lower back pain is one of the most common ailments among Americans. Infact, 8 out of 10 people will suffer from lower back pain (LBP) at somepoint in their life. At any point in time, over 30 million Americanssuffer from lower back pain.

To cope with this pain, a myriad of treatments have been devised.Physical therapists and chiropractors have long used traction (alsoreferred to as unloading and decompression) to help treat patients withlow back pain.

One particular example uses a compound mechanical bed, where the headand foot ends move in opposite directions while the patient is securedto the moving parts. However, such beds are expensive.

Another common technique is the use of gravity boots, which allow theuser to hang, typically upside down, by attaching hooks on the boots toa horizontal rod. By hanging with the feet elevated and the headlowered, the spine is stretched.

Other treatments serve to reduce the pressure on the lower back byreducing the load that the spine must support. However, most of thesetraction devices are meant to be used in the supine or standingposition.

Unfortunately, a major complaint of many people with LBP is the painassociated with sitting for extended periods of time. Sitting is one ofthe most compressive positions for the lumbar discs and joints.Compression of a disc causes irritation to disc bulges and herniations.

However, there are few systems that relieve lower back pain while theperson is in the seated position. Therefore, it would be beneficial ifthere were an apparatus and method to allow the unloading of the spinewhile in the sitting position.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A portable harness that wraps around the rib cage and thoracic spine isdisclosed. Unlike other harnesses, the present invention has anextension allowing it to be suspended above the user's ribcage to applyan upward pull. This suspension strap provides a distracting/unloadingforce on the lower back by holding the upper torso in place while theweight of a patient's lower body creates traction on the lumbar spine.The harness can be used with any chair back, including office chairs, orvehicle seats. In the case of an office chair, the harness also includesa hanger, which wraps around the chair back and provides a mechanism tosupport the suspension strap. This allows people with lower back pain tosit more comfortably while sitting in a regular chair. In otherembodiments, the suspension strap can fit over the head rest of avehicle's seat. This allows people to sit more comfortably while drivinga car, or flying in a plane. This harness will decrease low back painsince sitting for long periods will no longer compress the lumbar spine,it will actually be therapeutic by allowing a person to sit in anunloaded position.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1A is an illustration of the back view of one embodiment of theharness of the present invention;

FIG. 1B is an illustration of the front view of one embodiment of theharness of the present invention;

FIG. 1C is an illustration of one embodiment of the harness of thepresent invention with a car seat;

FIG. 1D is an outside view of the harness;

FIG. 1E is an inside view of the harness;

FIG. 2 shows a rear view of a second embodiment of the harness of thepresent invention;

FIG. 3 shows a second embodiment of the fasteners of the harness of thepresent invention;

FIG. 4 shows the chair support device or hanger;

FIG. 5 shows a front view of the chair support device, or hanger,installed on a chair;

FIG. 6 shows a rear view of the chair support device, or hanger,installed on a chair;

FIG. 7 shows the harness installed with the chair support device, orhanger;

FIG. 8A & FIG. 8B show upward pull by means of a linear actuator for achair with back support;

FIG. 9A & FIG. 9B show upward pull by pushing up using a linear actuatorfor a chair without back support; and

FIG. 10 shows a block diagram of a microcontroller based unit togenerate cyclic decompression while sitting.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention addresses the problem of lower back pain that isso prevalent in the seated position. In fact, the intradiscal pressureis almost at its worst in this position. The only position morecompressive than sitting is bending forward. By providing a way to givepatients relief in this difficult sitting position allows them to sitfor longer periods of time, and also perform more tasks that are done inthe seated position, such as driving a motor vehicle or working in anoffice chair.

FIGS. 1A-E show one embodiment of the harness used in the presentinvention. The harness 10 is made up of a support 20 which wraps aroundthe user's torso above the lumbar region. FIG. 1E shows a non-sliplining 39 is used on the user contact side or the inner side of thesupport 20. The non-slip lining 39 provides necessary grip to hold thetorso without slipping during gentle vertical movements caused on theuser. The vertical movements may be the result of a combination ofeffects such as uneven road surface, turbulent winds, shock absorbers,etc. Turning to FIG. 1D, the harness 10 has a first end and a secondend. One or more clasps 30 which serve to hold the first and second endsof the support. Also attached to the support 10 is an upper suspensionstrap 40, which is suspended at a point above the user's chest, such asaround the head rest of a seat, or the top of a chair back.

The support 20, as seen in FIGS. 1D and 1E, is about 11 inches wide, atits widest point. The support 20 is preferably constructed of polyester,although other suitable materials can also be used. The support 20 ispreferably solid, and has a length of about 28-40 inches, although otherdimensions are possible. For example, in some embodiments, the support20 may be made available in a plurality of lengths based on a person'ssize. In some embodiments, as seen in FIG. 1D, the support 20 tapersfrom 11 inches at its widest point to about 10 inches at its ends. Thistaper is intended to improve the comfort of the harness and may notexist in all embodiments.

FIG. 1B shows a front view of the support 20, where one or more clasps30 are used to attach the opposite ends of the support 20 together.Preferably, these clasps are attached to lateral straps 35,36 which arestitched to the support 20 using polyester thread, or other suitablematerial. In some embodiments, the lateral straps 35,36 are constructedfrom seat belt webbing and are each about 1.5 inches wide, althoughother widths are also possible. In one embodiment, two lateral straps35,36 are used, each separated from the adjacent lateral strap 35,36 byabout two inches. Thus, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 1B, the clasps30 connect the opposite ends of the support 20 in multiple locations,thereby offering maximum support for the rib cage and torso. As shown,the lateral straps 35,36 and clasps 30 may be connected in such a way asto be adjustable, as is common with other types of harnesses and seatbelts. In one embodiment, one of a set of lateral straps, preferably theleft strap 35, is fixed in length, and may be about 1 inch in length.The other, preferably right, strap 36 is much longer, such as between 12and 20 inches, and is adjustable. This allows the user to properly sizethe lateral straps 36 so that the support snugly surrounds the torso orrib cage. In some embodiments, the width of the support 20, when claspedtogether varies from a circumference of 28 inches to 55 inches.

The clasps 30 are preferably constructed from high strength plastic, soas to securely hold the support 20 together. The clasps are preferablyof the snap-in variety, so that they can be easily engaged anddisengaged, especially in the event of an emergency. In someembodiments, a dual side release buckle is used. Preferably, the clasps30 are no harder to unsnap and release than a seat belt clasp in a motorvehicle.

One advantage of using multiple clasps 30 is the ability to adjust tothe user's body. For example, a large person may need to adjust thelower lateral strap to accommodate their stomach area, while keeping theupper lateral straps tighter. Conversely, others may need to loosen theuppermost lateral strap (or simply not clasp the uppermost lateralstrap) to accommodate their chest area.

Returning to FIG. 1A, an upper suspension strap 40, which includes aleft portion 41 and a right portion 42, is stitched to the support 20,using polyester thread. The upper suspension strap 40 is preferablystitched to the outer side of the support 20, so as to minimize theuser's discomfort. The suspension strap 40 is attached to the support 20in two locations, and extends upwardly from the support 20. The left andright portions of the suspension strap are affixed to the support 20approximately 12 inches apart, and are centered about the midpoint ofthe support 20. The left portion 41 of the upper suspension strap 40terminates at its distal end in a receptacle 44 into which a clasp 43 isattached. In some embodiments, an adjustment mechanism 47 is included onthe left portion 41. The right portion 42 of the upper strap 40 includesthe clasp 43. As described above, preferably the clasp 43 is attached tothe right portion 42 in such a way that the length of the right portion42 can be adjusted. In some embodiments, the entire length of the leftportion 41 of the upper suspension strap 40 is between 5 and 16 inches.The adjustable right portion 42 can be as long as 20 inches or more insome embodiments. By including an adjustment mechanism 47 on the leftportion 41, it is possible to configure the upper suspension strap in avariety of configurations. For example, the clasp 43 can be positionedhalfway between the two distal ends, as shown in FIG. 1A. In anotherembodiment, the adjustment mechanism 47 on the left portion 41 istightened, while the strap on the right portion 42 is adjusted so thatthe clasp is closer to where the left portion 41 is stitched to thesupport 20. In yet another embodiment, the adjustment mechanism 47 onthe left portion 41 is loosened, while the strap on the right portion 42is adjusted so that the clasp 43 is closer to where the right portion 42is stitched to the support 20. By being able to adjust the position ofthe clasp 43, the user is able to have the clasp 43 located at aposition where it is easy to reach in the event of an emergency. Forexample, a right-handed user may want the clasp 43 located near thejunction of the left portion 41 and the support 20. In this way, theuser can reach across their body with their right hand and unclasp thedevice. Conversely, a left-handed user may want the clasp 43 locatednear the junction of the right portion 42 and the support 20. The clasp43 is preferably used as an emergency release buckle.

In other embodiments, an adjustment mechanism 47 is not used. In analternate embodiment, both the clasp 43 and the receptacle 44 may beadjusted. Note that a dual adjustable buckle may be used to perform thisfunction. In this embodiment and the previously described embodiment,dual adjustment mechanisms are provided on either side of the clasp 43to allow the user to configure the position of the clasp 43.

In another embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, the upper suspension strap 40may have more than one clasp 43. In this embodiment, clasps, oremergency release buckles, 43 may be conveniently located such that aleft-handed or right-handed user may easily access at least one of theclasps 43.

To improve the safety of the harness 10, there are multiple ways inwhich a driver, who is using the harness 10, can extract themselves fromthe vehicle in the event of an emergency. The first way would be tounclamp the clasps located in the front of the harness. In this way, theharness 10 would remain attached to the vehicle seat, while the driveris free to exit. A second way is by releasing clasps 43 on the uppersuspension strap 40. In this way, the driver may exit the vehicle withthe harness 10 still attached to their body. This method may be used ifthe driver cannot access the front clasps 30, such as in an accident.

The upper suspension strap 40 may be constructed of any suitablematerial, such as seat belt webbing. In some embodiments, the strap is0.75 inches wide, although other widths are also possible.

FIG. 3 shows another embodiment of the harness, in which the support 120can be opened through the actuation of a single clasp or fastener 130.In this embodiment, the support 120 still includes the lateral straps 35and the clasps 30, described above. The preferred method of using thesupport 120 still requires the tightening and loosening of lateralstraps 35 to maintain the proper amount of compression. However, in theevent of an emergency, single clasp 130 allows the user to exitimmediately, by requiring only a single fastener to be actuated torelease the user.

Referring to FIG. 3, note that the clasps 30 may no longer be attachedto the support 120. Rather, they may be attached to strong polyestermaterial 140. The strong polyester material 140 is attached to a singlefastener 130, such as one with a center release. The single fastener 130may be attached to the support 120 via more strong polyester material141 and stitching.

This embodiment offers yet another method for the driver to detachthemselves from the device prior to exiting the vehicle in the event ofan emergency.

The upper suspension strap 40 may be held in place in a number ofdifferent ways. The upper suspension strap 40 is intended to beconnected to a location above the user's lower back, preferably abovethe user's ribcage. In some embodiments, the strap formed by the leftand right portions of the upper suspension strap surround the base ofthe head rest 60, as can be seen in FIG. 1C. The harness 10 is shownaway from the seat back 50 for clarity of illustration. In use, theharness 10 will be against the seat back 50. If properly adjusted, theharness 10 will hold the user's rib cage at a height greater than wouldbe achieved without the harness 10. In other words, the harness 10actually supports at least a portion of the user's weight at a positionabove the lower back. This decompresses the spine.

The harness 10 works in conjunction with the seatback 50 to perform thisfunction. The upward force of the suspension straps 40 tends to lift theuser. Since the suspension straps 40 are located only on the back sideof the harness 10, the straps 40 tend to pull more on the back of theuser. Without the seatback, the user would tend to tip forward due tothe location where the force is being applied. However, advantageously,the seatback 50 holds the user's back and torso from rotating forward,and therefore allows the two rear straps 40 to be able to gently liftthe user without causing any rotation.

Since the seatback 50 is important to the function of the harness, it ispreferable that the seat back be in a substantially upright position.Defining 90° as completely vertical, it is preferable that the seatback50 be at an angle of greater than 70°.

The harness is used as follows. The user first performs an initialadjustment of the harness 10. The driver adjusts the lengths of the leftand right portions 41,42 of the upper suspension strap 40. The strapsshould be adjusted so that the harness 10 supports the user's weight,while allowing the user's buttocks to contact the seat. The adjustmentof the upper suspension strap 40 may also include adjusting the strapsto position the clasp, or emergency release buckle, 43 in a convenientlocation. In addition, this initial adjustment may include establishingthe proper lengths of the lateral straps 35,36 so that the harness 10 issnug around the user's rib cage. This adjustment can be performedsimilar to that done when fitting a life preserver or other similardevice.

Once this initial adjustment has been performed, the harness 10 is readyfor everyday use. The harness 10 is preferably left in the seat, withthe upper suspension strap 40 wrapped around the base of the seat'sheadrest. With the harness 10 open (i.e. the clasps 30 disengaged), theuser then sits in the seat. The user lifts his/her buttocks from theseat by pressing their feet into the floor. While lifted off the seat,the user attaches the harness 10 around rib cage (preferably allowing 3finger widths between axilla and brace to avoid pressing on axillarycompartment). The base of the harness 10 is preferably just abovebeltline. The user then secures and tightens all of the lateral straps35,36 so that the harness 10 is snug around rib cage. Once the harness10 is secured, the user gently lowers their buttocks back down intoseat. The user will then feel an upward force created by the harness 10holding their torso slightly suspended. This will partially unweight thebuttocks and provide a gentle traction on the lumbar spine whilesitting.

The harness and method described herein can be employed with anyvehicle, such as but not limited to automobiles, trucks, SUVs, trainsand airplanes. In addition, the figures herein show a detachableheadrest, where the upper suspension strap 40 is placed at the base ofthat headrest. However, the harness is useable in other configurationsas well. For example, some seats (such as that of a bus driver) have aheadrest that is integral with the seat. However, often, the headrest isnarrower than the shoulder part of the seat. This creates a smallindentation (concavity) at the top of the seat. This indentation issufficient to hold the harness in place.

FIGS. 4-7 show an additional component that can be advantageously usedwith the harness to extend its utility to other chairs. FIG. 4 shows thechair support device, or hanger, 200. The chair support device 200includes one or more hangar loops 210, which are configured to rest onthe top of the chair on which the chair support device 200 is placed.These hanger loops 210 are preferably adjustable. In some embodiments,such as in FIG. 4, clasps 220 are used both to attach and to adjust thelength of the hanger loops 210. In other ways, by adjusting the excessmaterial 221 near the clasp 220, the chair support device 200 can bemoved up or down relative to the top of the chair. For a chair with ahigh back, the hanger loops 210 may have a greater length than thehanger loops used with a chair having a lower back. In this embodiment,the hanger loops 210 are attached to the lateral hanger strap 230 vialoops 215 at either end of each hanger loop 210. This allows the hangerloops 210 to be moved to the more stable position based on the shape ofthe chair back.

While FIG. 4 shows the adjustment mechanism as part of the clasp 220,other embodiments are possible. For example, the hanger loop 210 mayhave a plurality of loops through its length. Any of these loops can beused to attach the hanger loop 210 to the lateral hanger strap 230.

The lateral hanger strap 230 is used to encircle the chair back andprovide stability. The length of the lateral hanger strap 230 isadjustable, based on the girth of the chair back. In some embodiments,such as that shown in FIG. 4, the lateral hanger strap may also includea clasp 232 so that the chair support device 200 can be fastened andunfastened from the chair back. In other embodiments, the clasp 232 isnot used. An alternate adjustment mechanism may be employed in thisembodiment.

Attached to the lateral hanger strap 230 are one or more support loops240. These support loops 240 are used to receive the upper suspensionstrap 40 of the harness. In other embodiments, a different mechanism maybe used to receive the upper suspension strap 40.

FIG. 5 shows a front view of the chair support device, or hanger, 200installed on a chair. Note that the support loops 240 are in the front,so as to be accessible to the user.

FIG. 6 shows a rear view of the chair support device, or hanger, 200installed on a chair. In this embodiment, all clasps 220, 232 areconfigured to be on the back side of the chair, away from the user.

FIG. 7 shows the harness 10 installed with the chair support device, orhanger, 200. The support loops 240 of the chair support device 200 areintended to emulate the vehicle headrest, in that the upper suspensionstrap 40 is attached to these support loops 240. As was describedearlier, the length of the upper suspension strap 40 can be adjustedbased on the height of the chair back, and the height of the user. FIG.1A shows the upper suspension strap attached near the top of the support20. However, in another embodiment, the upper suspension strap 40 may beattached to the support 20 at a different location. For example, if theupper suspension strap 40 is attached at the midpoint of the support 20,the harness 10 may be used with a chair having a lower back than wouldotherwise be possible.

In other embodiment, the harness 10 and hanger 200 may be combined withan automated cyclic decompression system to allow this activity onstationary chairs. Thus, the cyclic decompression effect can be extendedto any chair with a back support including dining chair, office chair,conference room chairs, waiting room chairs by providing a linearactuator that can be programmatically controlled by microcontrollerbased unit as shown in FIG. 8A, 8B and FIG. 10.

In this configuration, the suspension mechanism includes a tensionadjustment mechanism 129 to adjust the tension of the upper suspensionstrap 120 as needed. The tension adjustment mechanism 129 makes itconvenient to adjust the tension after sitting. The tension adjustmentmechanism 129 can be power driven mechanism by linear actuators,electric motors or pneumatic means 122. FIG. 8A and FIG. 8B show alinear actuator 122 pulling the suspension straps 120 up over a set ofrollers 124. In this embodiment, the tension adjustment mechanism 129slowly pulls in and releases the strap 128, thereby causing suspensionstraps 120 to move correspondingly upward and downward.

In another embodiment, a harness support to directly controlled by anactuator. FIG. 9A and FIG. 9B show upward force being applied to theharness support 130 by one or more linear actuators 132. In thisconfiguration, a chair back support is not necessary. This configurationcan be adapted to several types of chairs with or without back support.The linear actuators 132 are coupled to the harness support 130 and areable to move the harness support 130 upward and downward. Thisembodiment does not require the suspension straps described earlier.

In a power driven adjustment mechanism, the tension can be adjusted by adigitally controlled programmable adjustment mechanism to achieve thetension levels as needed. The force or tension levels can beperiodically increased and decreased by a microprocessor program asneeded to effect necessary cyclic decompression. The microcontroller canbe programmed to cycle through two or more different tension or forcesettings. The microcontroller can also be programmed to control the rateof change to reach desired force levels as well as the duration to holdat each force setting. The microcontroller can also be programmed toadjust the height of the harness as needed. For example, it can have astarting height for a user, and change to different heights duringdifferent intervals. The height adjustment can also work in combinationwith force adjustments. For example, the device can be programmed toincrease the current height to two more inches if the upward pull orforce is less than 25 kilograms. The device can also have multiple userprofiles stored in its memory so that the device can be programmed touse a selected profile for a user.

FIG. 10 shows a block diagram of a microcontroller 142 basedprogrammable unit. Signals from one or more load cells or load sensorsare received by the load cell interface 144 which are converted fromanalog to digital form and presented to the microcontroller. Themicrocontroller then converts the load signals to associated load levelsas measured in units such as pounds or kilograms. Using the current loadlevels and the program logic stored in the memory 148, themicrocontroller generates the necessary control data to the motorcontrol interface 150, which then converts the control data to necessarymotor control signals suitable to operate the motor or linear actuator,which in turn can increase or decrease the upward pull on the suspensionstraps of the support 20. The peripheral interface 146 such as USBserial interface is used to program, configure or interface with othercomputer systems such as personal computers or central computingsystems.

With this type of digital control, all the three types of decompression,namely static, intermittent and cyclic, can be achieved.

The terms and expressions which have been employed herein are used asterms of description and not of limitation, and there is no intention inthe use of such terms and expressions of excluding any equivalents ofthe features shown and described (or portions thereof). It is alsorecognized that various modifications are possible within the scope ofthe claims. Other modifications, variations, and alternatives are alsopossible. Accordingly, the foregoing description is by way of exampleonly and is not intended as limiting.

1. A harness for unweighting a user's spine while in a seated position,comprising: a. a support, having a first end, and a second end, adaptedto surround said user's rib cage, said support comprising a mechanism toattach said first end and said second end around said user; and b. asuspension strap extending upwardly from two locations on said support,adapted to form a closed loop.
 2. A system for unweighting a user'sspine while in a seated position, comprising: a. A support, having afirst end, and a second end, adapted to surround said user's rib cage,said support comprising a mechanism to attach said first end and saidsecond end around said user; b. A suspension strap extending upwardlyfrom two locations on said support, adapted to form a closed loop; andc. A seatback, having a region of concavity over which said loop ispositioned, wherein said user's back rests against said seatback in anunweighted position.
 3. The system of claim 2, wherein said region ofconcavity comprises a detachable headrest.
 4. The system of claim 2,wherein said region of concavity comprises an integrated headrest.
 5. Amethod for unweighting a user's spine while in a seated position,comprising: a. Providing a seat for said user, said seat having aseatback; b. Surrounding said user's rib cage with a harness; and c.Suspending said harness from a position on said seatback above saiduser's rib cage.
 6. The method of claim 5, wherein said positioncomprises the head rest of said seat.
 7. The method of claim 5, whereinsaid seat comprises a seat back, further comprising installing a chairsupport device on said seat back, wherein said chair support devicecomprises one or more loops configured to rest on top of said seat back,a lateral strap configured to encircle said seat back, and a mechanismto receive said harness.
 8. A system for unweighting a user's spinewhile in a seated position, comprising: a. a support, having a firstend, and a second end, adapted to surround said user's rib cage, saidsupport comprising a mechanism to attach said first end and said secondend around said user; b. a suspension strap extending upwardly from twolocations on said support, adapted to form a closed loop; and c. a chairsupport device, having one or more loops configured to rest on top of achair back, a lateral strap configured to encircle said chair back, anda mechanism to receive said suspension strap, thereby allowing saiduser's back to be in an unweighted position.
 9. The system of claim 8,wherein said mechanism comprises loops through which said suspensionstrap passes.